As the Mississippi River rises, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers prepares to open the Bonnet Carre Spillway. However, Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann is fighting these efforts. The Times-Picayune reported:
A partial opening of the Bonnet Carré Spillway "seems a certainty now," Louisiana State Climatologist Jay Grymes said in emailed comments Thursday, as recent forecasts indicated a further rise in the level of the Mississippi River. The opening, which is determined by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, would likely begin next week, according to Grymes. He said that the question now is how long the spillway may need to divert river water into Lake Pontchartrain. "When we look at how the rate of flow has been going up over the past three to five days, it's probably going to get to that critical threshold," Grymes said, meaning that a spillway opening is "very likely." The Corps has not announced a Bonnet Carré opening, and officials said they are continuing to monitor the forecast. The agency typically declares an opening around two days before the operation would begin, said Matt Roe, a spokesperson for the New Orleans district. According to National Weather Service forecasts as of Thursday morning, the river will crest in New Orleans at 16.9 feet on May 2 and then gradually drop in the following days. The spillway, located in St. Charles Parish, is typically opened by the Corps when the river flow rate hits 1.25 million cubic feet per second, which usually corresponds to a river level of around 17 feet on the Carrollton gauge in New Orleans. But at this phase in the flood cycle, higher flow rates are translating to slightly lower elevation, said Roe. An opening might be triggered at 16.5 or 16.6 feet. Rest of article.
The Corps opened the spillway five years ago. The surge of fresh water destroyed Mississippi's oyster beds and hatcheries while dealing a severe economic blow to the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Mr. Hosemann strongly urged the Corps to consider other flood control options before opening the spillway in an April 22 letter. The letter states:
I write to you in the strongest possible terms to oppose any proposed opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway in 2025 without utilizing other available diversions to minimize its affec Repeated diversions of Mississippi River freshwater into the Mississippi Sound have devastated Mississippi's coastal ecosystem, crippled our seafood industry, endangered public health, and severely harmed our tourism economy. The cumulative damage is no longer tolerable and cannot be justified by the Corps' singular focus on flood diversion by this sole matter at the expense of an entire neighboring state.
The Leftenent Governor offered other solutions:
The Corps must exhaust all viable alternatives before even considering a 2025 opening. This includes: • Immediate utilization of the Morganza Spillway to direct excess flow through the Atchafalaya Basin instead of into the Mississippi Sound; • Emergency dredging of the Mississippi River both south of the Bonnet Carre and near the river's mouth to increase conveyance and avoid spillway use;
• Utilization of the Old River control structure for diversion of flood waters prior to reaching the Bonnet Carre; • Coordinated, timed reservoir releases upriver to flatten flood peaks before they reach the lower valley.
Hosemann sued the Corps in 2019 in federal court when it opened the Spillway when he was Secretary of State. Earlier post. However, the Court dismissed the lawsuit for lack of jurisdiction. The Court held:
At most, the Court can require the Corps to “take a hard look” at the environmental consequences of its actions; the Court has no authority to dictate which actions the Corps should take. Therefore, the Court cannot compel the Corps to open the Morganza Spillway more frequently.
Stay tuned.
43 comments:
Dilbert evidently forgets he is not the Chief Executive, nor is he the Attorney General. True, he thinks (like our current POTUS) that he should be king and able to dictate anything and everything he is interested in.
True, while he was SOS (a position he still tries to manage, much to Watson's distress) he initiated litigation because there too he got ahead of his skis; but at least then he had some reason to be the person threatening litigation. But where oh where does he find it in the Constitution that he can make these litigation threats - barring, of course, Tater leaving the state for a day or two and letting Dilbert try to pull a Briggs.
I didn't know that Dilbert is a climatologist, civil engineer, and flood control expert. Who knew? Jackass!!! I wonder if he tries to back door the Corps with a call to the White House?
He need to find one of those federal district court judges who hunger to issue a TRO, There are plenty of them out there.
I appreciate the Lt. Governor's efforts.
Delbert can't get a simple budget for the state approved, how in hell can he somehow have influence over Louisiana?
Delbert is knowledgeable in this area, having lived through the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927
He needs to threaten to hold his breath until his whole face turns red.
On a livestream!
(Just use Shad's media machine!)
2:34 FTW!
Speaker White can't get a budget done during session but at least he got us gambling on our phones plus a sweet NOLA Super Bowl trip for his staff!
Good for Delbert. I doubt it will mean much, but at least someone is trying to help.
Delbert is looking out for Mississippi and some of you pinheads are giving him shit for it. Don’t comment on something you know nothing about until talking to some coast people about what all of that fresh water does to the offshore environment.
How vocal has Delbert been on the Steele Bayou backwater pumps? That’s the real question.
1:19pm… since you brought it up… two people who mistakenly think they are experts on Everything…Donald Trump and Dr. Phil McGraw.
It is safe to say that all the naysayers on this board don't speak for the whole state. They're many on the coast that appreciate his efforts.
If this isn't Delbert's job, then who's job is it? And where the hell are they?
I appreciate his efforts. This is typical Louisiana, don't do anything until it's a crisis, and it's too late to do anything else except drastic measures.
Louisiana has nothing to do with it. This is all under the control of the federal government. Frankly, there is not much he can do. He tried suing the Corps. The state lost. He can lobby as he is doing and that is about it . Corps is going to be real leery about opening up the old river control structure. Almost failed in 73.
Wow! A notoriously, historically, destructive governmental entity, being challenged by a quisling collaborator for powerful interests! I hadn't heard about the Cell Phone Gambling, but his support for elimination of the (extremely fair, IMHO) state income tax, will help spell doom for Mississippi's family farms (and family homes, for many - herding the unwealthy into apartment slums). High property taxes benefit giant business concerns, and hurt ordinary people. And, sooner or later, as in other states, the elimination the Income Tax, will mean increases in property taxes. There's no good guy in this Spillway fight, if you ask me.
Did Fitch teach Delbert how to lawfare? Isn't 47 criticizing Dems and activist judges for the same thing?
Delbert, not to worry. Before you know it will be water under the bridge.
Look... I appreciate ALL Dingleburt has done ... its time to head off into the sunset...
The River has crested all the way down to Natchez and will crest at St. Francisville tomorrow, so opening Bonnet Carre is out of an abundance of caution, not to lower flood levels. Not sure what the swap offs are for the decision to open, but I hope it’s not a case of a bunch of Louisiana natives in the New Orleans district sacrificing Mississippi’s Gulf Coast due to overblown fears or to spite us due to the lawsuit.
He has no control over the Corp of Engineers
It's unfortunate that the COE is going to make a choice that's going to hurt a lot of people either way.
New Orleans could use a good flushing. Not going to lie. Agree they aren’t going to open old river, the river has been trying to go that way for a while. This isn’t a bad flood, typical spring event, and it honestly hasn’t happened as frequently as it normally is. If the Midwest or Ohio valley gets a bunch more rain is when it’ll be a bad situation and at that point it’s too late. Dammed if you do, dammed if you don’t.
Empty gestures to curry favor with voters. Based on some of these comments, it works. No chance of actually achieving anything. Lynn is no better. She will join any lawsuit as long as the requisite number of red states have already done the work. For where two or three republican AGs are gathered together to file a complaint, there is Lynn in the midst of them.
What is Lynn to do,
Trump has made Universal injunctions taboo?
Will Delbert win on his complaint,
Or will the rising river make him faint.
I think Delbert is an 80 year old pompous hole in the crack but he's right. Mississippi let this happen decades ago when they allowed the freshwater diversion to happen in the Gulf without a fight. No telling who got paid. Let them boudoir eating coon hole in the cracks get flooded.
Both of these men are right FAR more often than they are wrong.
Use of name calling reflects a natural lack of vocabulary skill. Bless your heart.
The obsession with Trump is beyond ridiculous. Is it possible, you could not comment on every article about Trump.
Delbert is still a wanna-be
Therr has got to be a good Oh Brother Where Art Thou? reference to pair with this.
BTW I wish the Coen Brothers would get the cast back together for a Netflix sequel or something.
9:24, “empty gesture”?!? It worked, and what’s he supposed to do if not fight for Mississippi’s interests? I wish you low-information types would stay off this blog.
New Orleans would be a Cypress Swamp if all the Evil was washed away. Does the Architecture, Music and Cuisine justify Satan's vulgar sin pits?
6:07, Delbert was the voice of reason in the income tax fight
Not really. The Corps strictly looks at the flow rate and height. If the LG can control those things, then yes, it worked. The Corps is going to go strictly by the science and policies.
@3:59-Building the pumps in the lower Delta would only add to the amount of fresh water entering the Mississippi River.
KF, you are correct in that the flow rate never reached the 1.25 million cfs that normally triggers an opening, so that is ostensibly the reason the BC gates will remain closed. However, I worked for USACE and can assure you of two things: 1) any engineering design is spot on and can be trusted and 2) any decision has varying degrees of political influence that sometimes override considerations such as science and policy. While reaching the triggering flow rate was a possibility, it seems the Corps’ New Orleans District had already made up their minds they would open the gates since it was going to be so close. It’s only Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, so why not. From that perspective, Delbert’s letter may have helped.
10:22, the Mississippi River is flowing 1,600,000 cfs right now, the Yazoo Backwater pumps will only add another 25,000, or about 1.5% more, so that won’t be a factor.
Interesting that 'the court' said 'it' has no ability to tell the Corps what to do and can only offer suggestions. That's the polar opposite of what liberal courts are declaring when it comes to telling the President what to do.
I do think the Lieutenant Governor should have asked the Governor to make this request.
So...Now the mighty Kingfish has added hydrologist, aqua scientist, flowmaster and backwater diversion engineer to his resume.
You left out rocket scientist.
@4:30 pm and 10:34 am. Your numbers don't match.
Just like I penned above, it's now water under the bridge.
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